This is why I do what I do!

· Each year over 13,000 children are diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. That's 35 children each and every day.

"Every day, I have to endure up to six injections of insulin and more than ten finger pricks to keep me alive. When my blood sugar is high, my head hurts, I feel angry and sad, and it is hard to concentrate. When my blood sugar is low, I am dizzy, shaky, and in danger of becoming unconscious."
— Emma Melton, 16, Massachusetts

"I already have problems with my kidneys, and I take medicine every day so my kidneys won't fail. I worry about what will happen if a cure isn't found soon. I don't have time to wait."
— LaNiece Evans-Scott, 11, Ohio

Playing just a minute part, I was blessed to have been included in the 2007 JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes that took place in Southern Indiana last Saturday. I provided some entertainment for the 1300 plus walkers who took part in helping to raise over $215,000 dollars for diabetes research! What an incredible number!! The pictures you see are of myself and Mike Blake, the local NBC anchorman I've had the pleasure of working with in the past and grew up watching on latenight news, as well as the presentation of Rufus, "the bear with diabetes." We all danced, and sang, and celebrated the community's commitment to such a need. I had a ball and commend the Southern Indiana chapter on their extraordinary accomplishment! Also, while in Indiana, I made my annual appearance at Dexter Elementary School to help those earning their Citizenship Award celebrate their day as well. I even shared some Kindermusik fun with the morning Kindergarten classes. They work all year to receive this special concert and surrounding events... kudos to all you Dexter Braves!

Making music matter,
Jen

Chicken all the way!

What a wonderful time we had last week at Hermitage Chick-Fil-A's Kids Night! There was such a great turn-out of enrolled families with lots of nuggets and Ice Dream Cones to boot! And I can't think of a better event in which to sing, "We're a Musical FAMILY, can you?" On my drive home that night, I just kept thinking of how versatile, adaptable, and mobile music can be... We're in a space no bigger than a bathroom, and yet there's still a way to have boatloads of fun. When you have music, a few instruments, lots of friends with willing spirits, what else do you need? You made my night, so let's do it again! Mt. Juliet has contacted me to come visit them. Stay tuned for the date and a couple of pictures from last week's event. Thanks to the DiMarcos for helping me capture the fun on camera!

Making music matter,
Jen

Goodbye... but not for long!

It's always bittersweet to say 'goodbye' to another semester. My Spring semester came to a close last week after ten weeks of making music, making friends, and loving my job even more. As an educator and facilitator of such a busy kind of class - nearly a dozen children, usually under the age of four or five in one setting, I'm not able to catch every word or movement or attempt at an activity. But there are those enlightening moments when I realize that a child was just a lap baby last semester and is now sitting up attending to my words, or the 18-month-old is expressing more inner control during the start and stop games than he did just six weeks prior. I realize more and more, it's not just about the music and yet it's all about the music. I'd be thrilled if some of my students grew to be successful musicians, but that's not why I teach Kindermusik. I teach Kindermusik because it makes a difference in a child... in his speech, in his social and emotional growth, in his cognitive abilities, in his motor skills, and the list goes on. Music facilitates learning. It makes it stick. It makes a difference. It matters!

Although there's not a weekly class meeting for a few weeks, the end of May brings another opportunity. Summer camps will not only be a fun and entertaining way to involve your child, but they will give you an opportunity to learn how your child grows, learns, and develops. They will offer you quality time with your family and a chance to make memories. I encourage you to find your spot. You'll be so glad you did.

Making music matter,
Jen